GIS & Drone
October 1, 2025
Peter Keum, GISP
King County Wastewater Treatement
Drone Program Lead/ GIS Analyst
What is it?
&
How we use it 
CUGOS
Maps
Maps Are Useful!
Maps Are Cool!
Maps Are Beautiful!
Source: Scott Reinhard
Ancient Map - Saint Belec,
Brittany France
And Maps Have Been Around for Awhile
Maps Tell a Story
John Snow 1854 Cholera Map
Broad Street - City of Westminister, London, England
John Snow 1854 Cholera Map
#1: Water Pump
#2: Work House
#3: Brewery
The First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamination of President Lincoln, 1864
Source: Library of Congress
Dept of Interior Census Map of 1861
Source: Library of Congress
Source: Library of Congress
Power of Maps
GIS : Geographic Information Systems
GIS : Geographic Information Systems
Geospatial Data
- Where?
- What?
- How?
- When?
"Data Sandwich"
GIS
"Data Sandwich"
Vector Data & Raster Data
Vector Data - discrete entities: point, lines and polygons
Vector Data & Raster Data
Raster Data - images consisting or regularly sized and spaced cells where every cell has a value
- Treatment Plants - points
- Conveyance Line - lines
- Sewer Service Area - polygon
Vector Data
- Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
- One elevation value per cell
Raster Data
- Aerial Imagery
(GIS Professionals)
Serious Answer
Funny Ones
Funny Ones
Not So Serious Answers
That's Me :)
GIS
What is it?
&
How we use it 
King County Wastewater Treatment by Numbers
-
2 million residents
-
34 Agencies
-
424 square miles
-
383 miles sewer pipeline (2.5 inch to 14 ft)
-
74 facilities (PS & RS)
-
3 Treatment Plants: 180 MGD ~ Max. 460 MGD
Seattle, WA --> Medford, OR
Why Use GIS?
- Where?
- What?
- How?
- When?
(One Map)
Display GIS Data
Overlay
Why Use GIS?
Why Use GIS?
GIS
Decision Makers
But Be Aware of Dark Side
WTD GIS
Maintain Sewer GIS Data
-
FIRS (Facility Information Retrieval System) Data
- Maintenance Hole
- Pipes
- Pump Stations
- Regulator Stations
- Treatment Plants
- Outfalls
- Flow Monitors
- CP Stations
- Connection Points
- Site Plan Data
- 3D Models
- Drone Collected Data
- .... many many more
WTD
GIS
DATA
GIS Data:
The core of a GIS is its Database
BUT.....There are 17 county agencies support
King County GIS Data Library System
WTD
GIS Data:
The core of a GIS is its Database
Why Use GIS?
- Where?
- What?
- How?
- When?
(One Map)
Display GIS Data
Overlay
Program Support
- CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) Control Program
- Modeling Group
- CIFM (Conveyance, Inspection, and Flow Monitoring) Group
- Asset Management Program
- Capacity Charge
- ....many other sections
Projects & Programs Support
WTD GIS
Projects & Programs Support
WTD GIS
Projects & Programs Support
WTD GIS
Projects & Programs Support
WTD GIS
Projects & Programs Support
WTD GIS
Projects & Programs Support
WTD GIS
Projects & Programs Support
WTD GIS
Projects & Programs Support
WTD GIS
Program Support
- 3D Modeling Rendering
Program Support
- 3D Modeling Rendering
Program Support
Inspector
"Sewer"
Gadget
Proof Of Concept
Lidar SLAM Handheld Unit
Video of Scan Path
Proof Of Concept
Lidar SLAM Handheld Unit
WHOA!
Proof Of Concept
Lidar SLAM Handheld Unit
Examples
GIS + Vertical Industry
Future of GIS (personal view)
GPT
General Purpose Technology
GPT
General Purpose Technology
- Steam Engine
- Electricity
- Internet
NOT
Generative Pre-Trained Transformer
GPT
+
=
+
=
"GPT always needs complements"
+
=
Urban Planning
+
=
Utilities/Engineering
You
+
=
Social Justice/Equity
+
=
Environmental
Science
GIS
GIS
GIS
GIS
You
You
You
GIS
Companies are using maps not just as nice features but to drive revenue as core components of their offering. Maps are no longer just a good way to visualize content, they are core to competitive advantage.
Companies are thinking more creatively about how to combine location with outside content and internal business data to differentiate products
Future GIS & Success (personal view)
Post Graduate
GIS, What are they Good for?
Just another tool in the toolbox
+
=
YOU
Text
GIS
"First do it, then do it right, then do it better."
Credit: Addy Osmani
Doing is Learning, but...
Doing with mistakes?
It's still learning!
A
B
L
C
Tobin Bradley, Mecklenburg County, NC
CUGOS
Cascadia
Users
of
Geospatial
Open
Source
Let's do A. B. L. !
peter.keum@kingcounty.gov
peter.keum@kingcounty.gov
GIS & Drone
What is it?
&
How we use it RPAS as Platform
Multi-rotors
Fixed-wing & VTOL
- Shorter flight time (< 45 min)
- Cover smaller area
- Highly maneuverable
- Less expensive
- Access to confined spaces
- Long flight time (+ 40min)
- Covers very large area
(vertical take-off & land)
1. Aircraft + Sensor (Data Collection)
2. Data Processing & Analyzing (GIS)
3. Information Products
=
+
Drone
GIS
Great Combo?
&
Great combo !
GIS & DRONE
1. Platform + Sensor (Data Collection)
2. Data Processing & Analyzing (GIS)
3. Information Products
credit: Esri
GIS Integration
Information Products
Summary of KC Wastewater Treatment Division RPAS Program
People
+
Technology
+
Organization
=
RPAS Program
WTD GIS RPAS Program
Why Use Drones?
3 E's
-
Easy
-
Efficient
-
Effective
Why Use Drones?
Easy - Simple with little effort
Efficient - Results without waste
Effective - Producing Results
Why Use Drones?
1. Easy - Simple with little effort
Automatic
Repeatable
Flight Control App
- Automate Flight Planning - Fly Consistently for overlapping images
- Can fly manually but it's like mowing with scissors
Example: Auto flight plan
Result 3D Model
Why Use Drones?
2. Efficient - Results without waste
Safety of staffs
Save Time & $$
Why Use Drones?
South Treatment Plant
Primary Division Channel
Increase Safety for Staff
Why Use Drones?
Increase Safety for Staff
Data Processing - Efficient
- Cloud Storage & Cloud Data Processing
- Flight Planning from Desktop - fly on Mobile (controller)
- Cloud storage/Cloud Processing
- Centralized System
- Project Deliverables
Why Use Drones?
3. Effective - Producing Results
- Environmental Monitoring
Examples - Effective
August 2022
March 2022
April 2023
Why Use Drones?
Repeatable & Recordable & Searchable
West TP Power Upgrade Site Sept 22, 2022
- Update 2D aerial map
Examples - Effective
- 1172 Photos
- 0.57in/px
- Update 2D aerial map
Examples - Effective
0.57 in/px
Sept 2023
3.0 in/px
2021 KC Aerial
- Construction Site Monitoring
Examples - Effective
Just another Layer
October 2025
- Four FAA Part 107 Drone Certified Pilots - WTD GIS Specialists (Jim, Patrick, Joe, and Peter)
- Helping other departments to stand up their own RPAS programs
Joe
DJI Mavic 2 Pro
Mavic 2 Ent. Adv.
Mavic 3 Ent (2x)
2021
2022
2023
Matrice 4 Ent.
2025
Current Hardware
DJI Mavic 2 Pro < $1,800 (Retired)
DJI Mavic 2 Pro Ent. Adv $6,500
DJI Avata $1,300
Mavic 3 Ent (2x)
$3,800
20 MP/ 56x zoom
20 MP
12 MP/ 32x zoom
+ Thermal
Matrice 4 Ent
~ $5,300/ $8,500
Text
2021
June - Dec.
2023
Jan. - Nov.
Number of Flights
2022
Jan. - Dec.
+ 480 %
2021
June - Dec.
2023
Jan. - Nov.
Number of Flights
2022
Jan. - Dec.
+ 480 %
2024
Jan. - Nov.
Why Use Drones?
South Treatment Plant
Primary Division Channel
Increase Safety for Staff
Why Use Drones?
Increase Safety for Staff
Why Use Drones?
Repeatable & Recordable & Searchable
West TP Power Upgrade Site Jan 25, 2023
Why Use Drones?
Repeatable & Recordable & Searchable
West TP Power Upgrade Site March 25, 2023
examples
poly.cam
Esri 3D Scene Viewer App
examples
poly.cam
Esri 3D Scene Viewer App
examples
poly.cam
Esri 3D Scene Viewer App
Washington GIS Association Drone Special Interest Group
- Email Sign-up
- Resources
- Every 3rd Thursday
- ZOOM Meeting
- 165 Members
- Monthly Meeting - Every 3rd Thursday over Zoom
- Share resources online
- Help educate and introduce new users to the field of drone mapping and GIS
Tools
(Future Talk)
GIS/Drone - Presentation Seattle Univ - Oct 1, 205
By Peter Keum
GIS/Drone - Presentation Seattle Univ - Oct 1, 205
Introduction of GIS and how KC WTD uses to support WTD business and also integration of drone.
